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| August 11, 2016 | Volume 23, No. 32 |
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Celebrate International Youth Day Year Round
On Friday, August 12, the world will celebrate International Youth Day, an event recognizing the power of youth as agents of positive change. In the words of UN Secretary-General Ban ki Moon, "We cannot talk about sustainable development without the active involvement of youth."
At YSA, we've focused all our assets and outcomes on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, and we know that the power of youth needs to be nurtured and celebrated 365 days a year in order to accomplish these goals by 2030. We are proud to report our contributions towards activating youth globally in our 2015-2016 Annual Report.
Interested in celebrating International Youth Day? Here are some ways to take action:
- Attend a UN International Youth Day event near you
- Save the date for Global Youth Service Day 2017: April 21-23 and apply to be a Community Partner. GYSD is YSA's signature campaign and the largest service event in the world.
- Get inspired by young people taking action across the entire range of SDGs:
- Graci, age 10, passionately advocates for arthritis education and treatment reform (SDGs 3, 4)
- Dmitry, age 24, is developing tracking software to find missing children across Eastern Europe (SDG 10)
- A'Dorian, age 18, started an organization dedicated to engaging, empowering, and educating women from impoverished communities (SDGs 1, 4, 5, 8)
- Use our Be an Everyday Young Hero tipsheets to implement a service project in your community.
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Prepared by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, the World Youth Report on Youth Civic Engagement explores young people's participation in economic, political and community life, responding to growing interest in, and an increased policy focus on, youth civic engagement in recent years among Governments, young people and researchers. The Report provides thematic insights on economic, political and community engagement, coupled with expert opinion pieces so as to provide robust and varied perspectives into youth engagement.
United Nations Volunteers (UNV) recently launched a new Online Volunteering service website. Online volunteering allows organizations and volunteers to team up to address sustainable development challenges - anywhere in the world, from any device. Online volunteering is fast, easy - and most of all, effective. When skilled, passionate individuals join forces online with great organizations working toward sustainable development goals, everyone wins.
1 in 5 kids in America can't count on always getting the food they need. No Kid Hungry and Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation firmly believe that the next generation of young leaders can help find a solution. This new toolkit provides an understanding of "what works" in engaging youth, with tools that can be used to broaden the base and immediately engage youth in the fight to end child hunger. Learn more about how to engage young people by reading Six Steps to Engage Millennials in Social Change and utilizing the complimentary Youth Engagement Toolkit.
In partnership with Save the Children, a global leader in disaster preparation and relief, and with support from the Corporation for National and Community Service, YSA is calling on youth leaders to help their communities be prepared to stand strong during disasters by organizing disaster preparedness awareness events (Prep Rallies) and community service projects (Prep Projects) onSeptember 11th National Day of Service and Remembrance. As summer winds down, use the month of August to plan how you will serve and remember on 9/11 Day at www.YSA.org/911day
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generationOn is powering two campaigns this fall focused on supporting youth in the development of empathy, caring and compassion through service. Towards this end, generationOn will select 100 youth or groups of youth to serve as Kindness Ambassadors. Kindness Ambassadors will complete service projects for each campaign and will receive Hasbro toys to donate as part of a service project during the Joy Maker Challenge, a $50 service grant that can be used to purchase supplies and materials, generationOn collateral, including t-shirts and bracelets and the potential for media exposure in return.
Deadline: August 21
YSA is now accepting applications for the 2017 Global Youth Service Day Lead Agency Program! Through the generous support of State Farm, the program offers organizations in the United States funding of $500 or $1,000 as well as ongoing capacity-building training to lead high-impact, high-visibility events for Global Youth Service Day on April 21-23, 2017. As the official organizer of GYSD in their region, Lead Agencies are a vital part of creating a culture where young people have the opportunities and support to create positive change in their communities. Learn more and apply at: www.YSA.org/leadagency
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| Watch The View co-hosts present one of 340 Disney ABC Summer of Service Grants to Ami Picazo. Applications will continue to be accepted through September 30 at www.YSA.org/BeInspired |
Disney Summer of Service Grants
Deadline: September 30
Young changemakers who have ideas or projects that could make their neighborhoods healthier, greener, and stronger can receive $500 to gather their friends and bring their creative visions to life. Youth, ages 5-18, in the U.S. are eligible to apply for Disney Summer of Service grants by submitting service project ideas. Hundreds of youth-led service projects will be selected and $500 grants will be awarded to each winner's sponsoring organization to assist with the implementation of the project. Select grantees will have a chance to be recognized by Disney|ABC Television Group or their local ABC affiliate. www.YSA.org/BeInspired
Deadline: Rolling
Everyday Young Heroes are young people, ages 5-25, who are improving their communities through service to others and making significant progress in achieving the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Each week, YSA selects one young person to receive this honor. Each selected Hero receives a congratulatory letter, a certificate of recognition, and is highlighted in YSA's newsletter and on social media, raising the profile of his or her good work. Thanks to generous support from Newman's Own Foundation, YSA will also select 12 winners throughout 2016 - one per month - to receive $250 grants to continue and expand their project. www.YSA.org/awards/eyh
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Hala Alhaffar, 23, is a young environmental activist from Damascus, Syria who believes that young people are major stakeholders in climate crisis. Hala's home city, Damascus, suffers from serious pollution issues. For a long time, Hala volunteered with the Syrian Environment Association along with other young Syrians. Later, she was accepted to the Environmental Science program at Damascus University. However, this was not enough for incredibly active Hala: she soon started to coordinate the national edition of the Arab Youth Climate Movement (AYCM). She is currently AYCM's voice in Syrian social media and raising awareness about climate change issues and the negative effects of pollution in her home region. Thanks to Hala, after only 3 years since its founding, AYCM has become the leading youth organization in MENA region dedicated to solving environmental issues. It partnered with 350.org Global Campaign for Climate Action and the Climate Action Network (CAN). AYCM has more than 5,000 followers and hundreds of members.
We think kids these days are pretty amazing... here are some recent stories of youth helping their communities.
If you see a story in your local media about kids doing good, send us a link!
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RESOURCES: BE AN EVERDAY YOUNG HERO TIPSHEET SERIES
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The Be an Everyday Young Hero series, sponsored by Newman's Own Foundation, provides project replication guides created by our Everyday Young Hero Award winners to help you to tackle pressing local, national, and global community issues.
This guide is a collaborative effort by YSA and Nidhi Bhaskar, a high school student and recipient of the 2015 Keds Brave Life Project Award.
Modeling the work of Nidhi's organization, Project New Boundaries for Youth, the tip sheet provides a detailed look at what it takes to develop and implement a waste management education campaign that promotes youth-driven community projects that benefit the global community.
This guide is a collaborative effort by YSA and Andrew Diodato, a New Jersey high school student who saw the need to create a space for students with disabilities to learn, socialize and enjoy themselves with their peers. Modeling Andrew's own Life Skills Mentoring Program, Peer2Peer, the tip sheet provides a detailed look at what it takes to maintain an organized program that benefits the academic, social, and emotional needs of children with special needs.
This guide is a collaborative effort by YSA and Valerie Nguyen, a Virginia high school student who has been personally impacted by this issue as the sibling of a cancer patient. Modeling Valerie's own cancer awareness club, the tip sheet provides a detailed look at what it takes to maintain an organized club and how to orchestrate successful monthly service activities.
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SERVICE SONGS OF THE WEEK
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"Everyday People" - Sly & The Family Stone
"Sometimes I'm right
and I can be wrong
My own beliefs are in my song
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Makes no difference what group I'm in
I am no better and neither are you
We are the same, whatever we do
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I am everyday people."
The complete Service Songs of the Week playlist from 2012-2016 is athttp://bit.ly/servicesongs
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